Sri Lanka Travel Guide

When to visit Sri Lanka?Sri Lanka is a year round destination with an abundance of sunshine all year round. The average
temperature is around 27°C - 30°C in most parts of Island. The temperature gradually drops as the
land rises towards the hill country, with some parts of the highland as low as below 10°C.
The island has two wet monsoon seasons; briefly between May and July in the south-west region
and between December and January in the north-east. However, Sri Lanka has no off season peruse
as clear blue skied bright sunny days are the general rule even during the wet season.

_What to pack?
Sri Lanka has a tropical country and cotton clothes are the most ideal to wear and of course your
bathing suits are a must if you are visiting the beaches. Sun tan lotion could be very handy as it can
be very hot sometimes.

If you are visiting the cultural and religious sites, it is a must that you wear appropriate clothing.
Gents are required to wear trousers to cover their knees or a “sarong” with a shirt or T-shirt. Ladies
should ideally wear decent attire such as a trouser or a skirt to cover the knees and a blouse or tshirt.
It may not be advisable for ladies to wear deep necked or a sleeveless top.

_Organizing your trip
If you are interested in booking a Round Trip programme, the flight times is an important
component when making the maximum use of your stay.
Most travellers prefer to stay near airport in the first night (if they arrive in evenings). However most
European and Middle East carriers arrive early morning to Sri Lanka which is ideal for most travellers
to start the tour in the same day.

_Currency/ Money ExchangeForeign currency and Traveller’s Cheques may be changed at any hotel, although commercial banks
offer better rates. Converting Sri Lankan rupees back to a selected foreign denomination could be
done at the airport bank which is open 24 hours of the day. Please retain your money changing
receipts.

_Credit Cards
Hotels and shops accept most international credit cards. No surcharge is required for their use. Cash
advances may be acquired against credit cards at certain bank ATMs. Most widely accepted cards
are American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

It is advisable to enquire if your card type is accepted by the establishment before the use of any
services.

Banks are generally open from 9.00am to 1.00pm from Monday to Friday. Some city banks close at
3.00pm, while others offer night banking facilities. Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, all public
holidays and special bank holidays on June 30th and December 31st. ATMs are most found adjoining
bank branches island-wide.

_Shops
Most shops open at 10.00am and close at 6.00pm. Shops are usually closed on Sundays and Full
moon (Poya) days. The full moon poya day has religious significance for Buddhists and alcohol is not
served in hotels, bars and public recreational areas on this day.

_Immigration
Embarkation forms are available at the airport check-in counter and need to be filled and handed
over to the immigration desk prior to departure.

_Water
Filtered, mineral and bottled drinking water is available at most retail shops. Avoid drinking water
from the tap.

_Electricity
220 Volts/50 Hz Ac. Two and three pin plugs are used mostly.

_Embassies/ Consulates
A list of embassies is given in the local telephone directory which is provided in most hotel rooms. If
not, one may be obtained at the hotel concierge’s desk. Please contact us if further assistance is
required.

_Medical Facilities
If you need a doctor, please contact the hotel reception. The hotel will have a doctor within the
hotel premises or nearby. Pharmacies can generally be found at the commercial centre of most
towns.

Communication
International Direct Dialling (IDD) facilities are available at all city hotels, resorts, post offices and
telecommunication centres. Postal services are provided at most hotels and at the local post office
or authorised sub-post offices. Telegrams and faxes can be handed over to the hotel reception for
transmission.

TippingIt is customary to tip drivers, guides and hotel housekeeping/restaurant staff if the service is satisfactory. This is solely at your discretion. The average tip is 100 rupees for Housekeeping and 10% of your meal bill for restaurant staff.

_Food & Drink Tips
Your hotel provides safe and high quality food and we, as a policy do not recommend restaurants
outside the hotel. Always wash and peel fruit before consumption. Drink plenty of water during the
day to avoid dehydration.

_Custom Exports
On leaving the country you are allowed to export up to 10kg of tea duty free.

Purchase and export without license of any wild animal, bird or reptile, dead or alive . also the
export of parts of animals, birds or reptiles, such as skins, horns, scales and feathers is prohibited.
Occasional exports are, however, permitted exclusively for bona fide scientific purposes. It is
prohibited to export of 450 plant species without special permits. The export of coral, shells or other
protected marine products is also strictly prohibited.

Applications for special permission to export fauna should be made to the Director, Department of
Wildlife Conservation.

_Foreign currency regulations
Visitors to Sri Lanka bringing in more than US$10,000 should declare the amount to the Customs on
arrival. All unspent rupees converted from foreign currencies can be re-converted to the original
currency on departure as long as encashment receipts can be produced.

_Banks
Banks are open from 0900 hrs to 1300 hours Monday to Friday. Some city banks close at 1500 hrs,
while some are open on Saturday mornings. It’s easy to withdraw money across the island at ATMs
using international credit cards or debit cards.

_Time difference
Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for
summer-time changes in Europe.)

_Language
Sri Lanka has two official languages . Sinhala and Tamil - with English as a link language. Most people
have some knowledge of English, and signboards are often in English.

_Photography: Restrictions & Permits
Sri Lanka is a tremendously photogenic island, so it’s hardly surprising that most tourists bring a
camera of some kind when they visit the country. The stunning landscapes, the captivating fauna
and lush flora, and the stupendous archaeological remains provide great opportunities: a bonus is
that Sri Lankans love to be captured on film. So it’s easy to capture the traditional rural lifestyle.
You’ll find villagers, farmers, fishermen and tea pluckers will readily stand in front of your
viewfinder. Your subjects will often ask to have a copy of picture sent to them. This may be
laborious, but it is a reasonable courtesy as many may never have seen a picture of themselves. It is
also understandable that many will also expect a token recompense for allowing themselves to be
photographed.

_Restrictions
There are some important restrictions that apply to photography regarding Buddhist imagery. When
you visit a temple or other religious site, remember that photography should not be carried out in a
manner causing disrespect. For instance, it is strictly forbidden to be photographed in front of or
beside any statues and murals. Note that flash photography can damage old murals.

_Getting thereUsually all visitors to Sri Lanka travel by air; flights arrive at the Bandaranaike International Airport, 35 km north of Colombo, and 6 km of Negombo.

Mobile phones have been made so affordable in Sri Lanka that almost everybody has one, and coverage has extended beyond the major cities. There are four main network operators on the island; Dialog GSM , Mobitel, Etisalat, Airtel and Hutch. If you'd rather not use your own mobile phone on roaming but still want to be contactable, the cheapest alternative is to get a mobile phone connection with one of these major companies. All these phone companies have a pay-as-you-go plan where you can buy a local SIM card for around Rs.300 (that will work in GSM phones from Europe, the Middle East and Australasia) and keep adding money to the connection as you require it. You will find recharge cards at any corner store throughout the island.

Adam's peak

Udawalawe national park

​Dambulla cave temple

Stilt fishing Sri Lanka

Kitulgala rafting

Mirissa whale watching

​Yala national park

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